Results 2,341-2,360 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I have addressed them. I could actually-----

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: That is fine.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Regarding the periodic critical review, as the OPR was established in 2019, the PCR is now due to be undertaken. Informal meetings have been held between my Department and the OPR regarding the periodic critical review process. Officials in both the Department of Housing and OPR are currently engaging in an information-gathering exercise in advance of the formal PCR commencing. As part of...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To answer Senator Boyhan directly, I expect the review to commence this year. As he rightly said, regardless of electoral cycles or when the election happens, the preparatory work has commenced. My officials have been meeting with officials in the OPR already. The information gathering piece is there. It is important that it is done. The office has been in place for five years or...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There are quite a lot of amendments in this group and there are Government amendments as well. I will address amendments Nos. 115, 116, 118 to 122, inclusive, 126, 143, 145 and 146 as tabled by Senators Higgins, Ruane, Black and Flynn, and amendments Nos. 123, 124, 125, 127 to 130, inclusive, 132, 133, 136, 137 and 141 as tabled by Senators Boyhan and McDowell. We were talking about the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (25 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58, 59, 60 and 61 together. I have committed to establishing a Stakeholder Forum which will meet in the coming months and which will include stakeholders with an interest in the policy areas under the remit of the NPWS. The Forum will adhere to the consultation principles set out in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Consultation Principles and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Bruton who, as always, makes a very important intervention. The whole environment has changed for school children, particularly with the prominence of social media and mobile phone devices. That is a debate that has been happening across the way. It might be timely on the 100th anniversary of the Department of Education to look at that again. I will certainly speak to the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I ask the Deputy to give me the details. All of us, and the Minister, Deputy Foley, have been very involved in the bus transport scheme. I have found her office to be extremely helpful in that regard. Bus Éireann and its inspectors have a role in it with regard to the routes and where the stops are. I have come across an issue in my own area very similar to the one the Deputy raised....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. We have discussed these particular issues in Cork city and beyond. I am meeting the chief executive and the incoming chairperson of Uisce Éireann. I will seek additional funding for Uisce Éireann on the capital side to carry out additional works. The Deputy referred to Cork city. That is a big piece of work. Another scheme that we discussed is the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I assure the Deputy there is no lack of political will. If he looks at what we have been able to achieve in recent years, he will note that over 28,000 children are now being supported in special schools and classes. Since 2019, just five years ago, there has been a 15% increase in the number of special education teachers and a 30% increase in the number of special needs assistants. Budget...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree with the Deputy. He and I have discussed this matter on a number of occasions. With regard to anything I can do to support him in bringing about a permanent resolution, he can be assured he will have my support.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I know the Deputy is very passionate about this matter and has met community groups very recently on Kildysart and the provision of GP services there. He can be assured that I will raise this directly with the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, and revert to him directly.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Is it a cost-rental tenant in situ case?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy should be able to get details from the Housing Agency.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy might supply me with the details. Just short of 200 homes have been acquired through the cost-rental tenant in situ scheme. We will be legislating for that in the coming weeks to underpin it in primary legislation. That will come forward in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. In the meantime, if the Deputy gives me the details directly, I will raise the matter with the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I referred to this earlier. We had Priority Questions today and questions to the Ministers responsible for housing. I note that we had no questions in from the Social Democrats this morning with regard to housing.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: They had no questions in at all on the topic.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: All right. I withdraw that. My apologies. To answer the Deputy's question, we need to continue to increase housing output, and we are doing that. Many challenges remain but, unquestionably, we have taken a step up. We need to deliver more social homes and we are doing that. We are doing it in our own area of Fingal, even with continued objections to one of our biggest schemes from...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: One thousand two hundred homes-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: -----the Deputy's party voted against.